Heating apparatus



June 17, 1952 c. A. WILCOX HEATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 21, 1948 WITN SSES:

Cooking Ves 88/? ATTORNEY Patented June 17, 1952 HEATING APPARATUS Charles Alva Wilcox, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 21, 1948, Serial No. 50,371

Claims.

This invention relates to electric range surface units in general and more particularly to a range surface unit in which heating is accomplished by radiant energy.

It is an object of this invention to provide an electric surface heating unit having an infra-red ray lamp which is protected against breakage and food or liquid spillage which may be incurred.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a heating unit which may be easily dismantled for cleaning or servicing.

Another object is to provide a radiant heating surface unit having an arrangement for diverting spillage away from the radiant heater.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical elevation, with portions in section, of a surface heating unit embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line II-II of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is shown an electrical surface heating unit, generally designated l0, disposed within an opening 12 in a range platform I4. A support ring [6, having a cylindrical portion I1 and an outwardly disposed flange I8, is nested within the platform opening 12 with its flange I8 resting on the platform [4. The support ring supports the entire surface heating unit [0 in the platform. A lamp 20, which produces infra-red heat rays, is supported by a porcelain electric socket 22. The socket may be of the screw shell type and the lamp may have a screw base 24 for threaded engagement therewith. The lamp socket may be provided with an upstanding annular flange 23 for a purpose which will later be described. It will be understood that the lamp may be of any type and shape desired and that the base and socket may be of the bayonet type or push-in prong type as desired. As well understood in the art, the lamp 20 has a filament 26 which is energized and caused to glow. A pair of leads 28 are connected to the socket 24 and to a source of electric power (not shown). The envelope for the lamp may be constructed of any glass which has excellent transmission of infra-red energy, which will withstand high temperatures without softening and sudden thermal shock without breaking. A glass having a high quartz content and known on the market as Vycor has been found satisfactory.

A support is provided for the lamp socket which insures fixed centering of the lamp with respect to the support ring [6. A plurality of strip members are attached to the support ring at its cylindrical portion H, by welding or any other desired means, and depend therefrom to the lamp socket 22. A plurality of perforated cars 32 are provided in the lamp socket and the strip members 30 are fastened thereto by means of screws 34.

A metallic reflector 36 having a heat reflecting inner surface is disposed about the lamp 20 to reflect the heat rays from the lamp upwardly to a cooking vessel. The reflector has a lower edge portion 31 which is curved downwardly to form a generally cylindrical portion of greater diameter than the lamp socket portion 23. This reflector has been found to increase the cooking efficiency of the lamp. The support ring I6 has a plurality of inwardly disposed portions 38 which may be formed integrally therewith and which are fastened to the reflector by rivets 40 or other means, thereby supporting the reflector in spaced relationship with the support ring. The reflector is smaller in diameter than the ring portion 11, thus an annular space 42 is provided therebetween. The lower edge of the ring portion may be bent inwardly to provide a narrow flange 43 which defines an annular gap 44 with the reflector.

The support ring IS, the reflector 36 and the socket 22 form a unitary structure in which each of the component parts is symmetrically aligned with respect to a common vertical axis.

An imperforate cover plate 45 of circular shape and adapted to support the cooking vessel, overlies the reflector 36 and substantially fills the opening in the support ring It. This cover plate is also preferably made of Vycor glass and may be colored to reduce the visible light to an intensity level which is not injurious to the eyes and which is not objectionable. To prevent spillage entering the lamp area, the cover plate is provided with a peripheral dependent flange 46 which projects below the top edge of and surrounds the upper portion of the reflector, thereby acting as a baffle. This flange also acts as a support for the cover plate and rests on the upper edge of the support ring portions 38. To strengthen the cover plate and to conserve material, the bottom portion may be provided with a ribbed structure 48. It will be noted that the flange 46 also acts as a rib, further strengthening the cover plate.

The unit may be disassembled for cleaning by lifting the cover plate 45 and removing the lamp by unscrewing it from its socket 24, whence the reflector 36 is made accessible for wiping. An inoperative lamp may also be replaced in this manner by any unskilled person. If the complete unit is to be replaced, it may be lifted out of the range platform opening [2 in its entirety by the support ring flange l8. The wires 28 are thus made accessible and may be disconnected and reconnected to the replacement unit, as well understood in the art.

Also, if the reflector 36 is to be replaced, the operation may be performed without the necessity of disconnecting or severing the electrical leads. The cover plate 45 is first removed, exposing the lamp 20 which is then unscrewed from the socket 22. The support ring 16 is then lifted out of the range platform opening. The support ring [6, the reflector 36 and the members 30 may then be detached as a unit from the socket 22 by removing the screws 34. A replacement assembly may be installed by reversing the above operation.

Although the cover plate 45 substantially fills the opening in the support ring 16, spillage of food or liquid which often occurs in cooking may find its way around the edge of the cover plate. However, the flange 46 will direct any such spillage outwardl of and below the upper edge of the reflector so that it will flow on the outside surface of the reflector, preventing contamination of the lamp or the reflector inner surface. Since the reflector is spaced from the support ring, the spillage may fall freely or flow along the outer surface of the reflector through the space "52. The reflector also serves to divert falling spillage away from the lamp base and socket, any such spillage being caused to drip from the lower reflector edge 3! to a point externally of the lamp socket flange 23. The space 42 is larger than any gap which may be present between the edge of the cover plate and the support ring. Also, the gap 44 between the reflector and the flange 43 is larger than the gap between the support ring and the cover plate. Thus unimpeded flow is assured and the possibility of flooding the space 42 is eliminated, preventing any possibility of liquid being forced upwardly into the lamp area.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

W hat I claim is:

1. In an electric range, a platform having an opening therein and a surface heating unit disposed Within said opening, said heating unit comprising a heating lamp disposed beneath said opening, an annular support ring nested Within said opening, said support ring having an outwardly disposed annular flange overlying and supported by said platform, an electrical lamp socket, a plurality of members depending from and fastened to said support ring, said lamp socket being carried by said members and said lamp being supported by said socket, a reflector encircling said lamp and supported by said support ring, said support ring, said lamp, said socket and said reflector thereby constituting a unitary assembly pendently supported by said platform and a removable heat-resisting glass cover plate overlying said reflector and adapted to support a vessel, said cover plate being imperforate but being pervious to heat rays and together with said reflector substantially enclos- 4 ing said lamp and protecting the lamp and the interior surface of the reflector against any food spillage which may be incurred.

2. In an electric range, a platform having an opening therein and a surface heating unit disposed within said opening and supported by said platform, said heating unit comprising a heating lamp disposed beneath said opening, an electrical lamp socket suspended from a point adjacent the edge of said opening and disposed in a fixed central position beneath said opening, said socket supporting said lamp, a reflector encircling said lamp, said lamp and said reflector being so arranged as to direct upwardly the heat rays emitted by the lamp, said reflector being supported in spaced relationship with the edge of said opening and defining an annular gap therebetween, and a cover plate overlying said reflector and adapted to support a vessel, said cover plate being made of heat-resisting glass pervious to heat rays, said cover plate having a peripheral dependent flange externally telescoping the upper marginal portion of said reflector thereby substantially enclosing said lamp within said reflector and protecting the lamp and the interior surface of the reflector against food spillage or other foreign matter.

3. An electrical surface heating unit comprising a heating lamp, an electrical socket supporting said lamp, an annular support ring having a plurality of depending members attached to and supporting said electrical socket, a reflector encircling said lamp, said reflector being disposed above said socket in spaced relation therewith and attached to said support ring, and a removable cover plate overlying said reflector and adapted to support a cooking vessel, said cover plate being made of heat-resisting glass pervious to heat rays and substantially closing the top of said reflector thereby to prevent access of food spillage to the lamp or to the internal surfaces of the reflector, said cover plate being imperforate and somewhat larger than the reflector thereby directing food spillage exteriorly of said reflector, and said reflector being arranged to direct the heat rays from said lamp through said cover plate and having a downwardly extending lower edge portion which is disposed horizontally beyond the top of said socket and which is thereby adapted to direct spillage away from said socket.

4. In an electric range, a platform having an opening therein and a surface heating unit disposed within said opening, said heating unit comprising a heating lamp disposed beneath said opening, an annular support ring nested within the said opening and supported by said plat form, an electrical lamp socket, a plurality of members depending from and fastened to said support ring, said lamp socket being carried by said members and said lamp being supported by said socket, a reflector encircling said lamp and supported by said support ring, said reflector being disposed above said socket in spaced relationship therewith, and a removable cover plate overlying said reflector and adapted to support a vessel, said cover plate being imperforate and made of heat-resisting glass pervious to heat rays and together with said reflector substantially enclosing said lamp and protecting the lamp and the interior surface of the reflector against any food spillage which may be incurred, said reflector having a lower marginal edge of greater diameter than the top of said socket and thereby adapted to direct spillage away from said socket.

5. An electrical surface heating unit comprising 5 a heating lamp, an electrical socket supporting REFERENCES CITED said lamp a horizontally disposed annular The following references are of record in the port ring having a depending member attached file of this to and supporting said electrical socket, a reflector disposed about said lamp and attached to UNITED STATES PATENTS said support ring, said lamp, said socket, said re- Number Name 11 Date flector and said support ring thereby constituting 1 339 695 Douglas May 11 1920 a unitary assembly, and a removable cover plate 1427291 Hawthorfi Aug 2 positioned in a horizontal plane within said sup- 1'550'100 Scharf Aug 3' 925 port ring and overlying said refl c said cover 10 1801'047 Johnson Apr 14' 1931 plate being adapted to suppor a cooking vessel, 1928'112 Michel Sept 26' 1933 said reflector being arrang to direct the heat 2030'320 James Feb 11' 1936 rays from the lamp through said cover plate, said 2092617 gg E1 2 7 37 cover plate being made of heat-resisting glass 2179934 Jones 1939 per iou to heat rays and having a Peripheral 15 2:446:712 Melanie Lil s; Aug 10, 1948 dependent flange surrounding the upper edge of said reflector, thereby directing food spillage exterlorly of said reflector.

CHARLES ALVA WILCOX. 

